MANILA, Philippines — Host-actress Maxene Magalona carried a bit of her father, the late rapper Francis Magalona, to the 2023 ABS-CBN Ball in a stunning white dress.
Maxene's outfit was designed by Thian Rodriguez and styled by Myrrh Lao To, with makeup by Gery Penaso.
Related Stories
But hidden underneath were black shoes that she didn't know where Myrrh had gottem them but loved them all the same.
"We want to go a little bit edgy tonight... It's so cool, it feels great, I feel very supported," Maxene said. "I am the daughter of Francis Magalona so I have to be cool."
The actress told Philstar.com that the dress was wholly Thian's idea and she was instantly "game" to wear it when it was sent over to her.
Related: Maxene Magalona talks about her 'first love'
"I like to give creative freedom to my stylists, makeup artists, and hairstylists, I don't really like to tell them kung ano tingin kong dapat maganda for me because I want to also give them the space and the creativity to express themselves. So this is all them," Maxene added.
Maxene also explained her decision to wear white, citing a number of reasons including breaking the norm that wearing white isn't just for weddings.
"I love it, for me wearing white is a symbol of power, purity, and peace, and that is what I stand for. I don't believe that white dresses are just supposed to be about weddings and marriage, I think it's also about female empowerment. It's about standing powerful in your truth," the actress said.
She ended by saying Thian's dress and the black shoes show who she is, and that she was proud to be where she is at the moment. — With reports from Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo
RELATED: Catriona Gray stuns with P13M Bulgari jewelry at ABS-CBN Ball 2023